In 2010, legendary Hammer Studios rose, nosferatu-like, from its grave, determined to once again spread horror through the world. Its first project? An Americanized, English-language version of John Lindvist’s novel, Låt den rätte komma in, already the subject of a successful Swedish film adaptation. Fans worried. Would this be another pointless remake, a defanging of all that gave the original its bite?
Category Archives: Movies
Halloween Review: Let the Right One In
The novel Låt den rätte komma in launched John Ajvide Lindvist’s career, and sired two film adaptations. This weekend’s Halloween Reviews will examine both, starting with the 2008 original, one of cinema’s best vampire films.
Halloween Review: Halloween (2007)
Aroooooo!!!
Once again, the Bureau presents its annual October countdown of Halloween movies: old and new, famous and infamous, over-marketed and undiscovered. And we’re starting with a re-vision of a classic film by the man who celebrates the season with his name.
In 2007, Rob Zombie remade one of the most influential horror movies of all time. He gets credit for adding one fresh idea to the mix, but….
Weekend Review – “The Social Network”
This movie opens to wide release in the United States and Canada on October 1, 2010.
R.I.P. Kevin McCarthy (1914-2010)
Kevin McCarthy, star of the original Invasion of the Bodysnatchers and many other movies and TV shows, passed away Saturday in Cape Cod hospital. While I haven’t seen an official cause of death, at age 96, the news isn’t terribly shocking.
Movie Review – Flash Gordon (1980)
It came to be a surprise on my part that this film hadn’t been reviewed on the site before now. Well, it’s time to rectify this little error. Continue reading →
Review: The Last Exorcism
The Last Exorcism crept into the top box-office position during its opening weekend. It won’t have the same cultural impact as the first one (or any of the other films it cribs), but does it hold up as a horror film in its own right?
The story begins with a skeptic masquerading as an exorcist.
“Monbella” can now be viewed
Several weeks ago, we reviewed Mon Bella and the Curse of 1809, an independent Canadian film and an atypical ghost story. At the time, there was no distribution opportunity. It has since been chosen for the Kansas International Film Festival, running from October 1-7, 2010, in Overland Park, Kansas. The film airs Monday, October 4, at 5:10PM, according to this schedule.
Weekend Review: Peeping Tom
“I understand you have some views for sale.”
–respectable-looking old man.
Michael Powell’s thriller has become something of a cinematic legend. Released in 1960, it beat Psycho to the screen by several months, delivering a superficially similar, twisted tale about a quiet young man with parental issues. Whereas horrified filmgoers embraced Alfred Hitchcock’s proto-slasher flick, critics and audiences reviled Powell’s dark vision, and it effectively ended his career. Years passed before viewers rediscovered and reassessed the film. The once-condemned film has since been declared a classic.
Weekend Review – Kamen Rider: The First
In terms of Tokusatsu (Japanese Special Effects Films & Series) especially those of the Henshin (transforming) hero sub-genre, there are a 3 main franchises. A holy trinity that has stood the test of time. One of these – the Super Sentai Franchise – isn’t available in the US in its original form, instead being available in the localized form of the Power Ranger series. Only two Henshin franchises have made it in some form of their original form. One is Ultraman, the other (which is the subject of this review), is Kamen Rider. Continue reading →